The Last Key to Paradise
by Seven Positions
Summary: A wolf with the voice of an angel and her sinister companion bump into Hige. They're from his long-lost pack- but he doesn't want them back. And what exactly are they planning, anyway?
1. The Return of the Runt

Oh my GOD… ::happy tears:: Thanks to everyone who reviewed to the story with the bad title(The End)! I was so friggen excited cause the day after I posted it I suddenly had nine reviews- and there were more coming! And they were all AWESOME, so now all those who reviewed are my favorite people ever… ::rambles::

Aaaanyway. Can anyone tell me what a Mary Sue is? xX

Readers: You're pathetic.

* * *

The voice of an angel flowed from the young girl's lips, floating through the air. Her face was hidden by mahogany locks that shimmered in the moonlight. Her head was tilted back, her eyes closed. She was perched on top of a wooden crate in an alleyway.

Any human saw a normal woman singing in a dark corner. However, through a wolf's eye, a sleek canine sat, howling to the moon.

In the same city, a pack of four rested in another obscure alley, disguised as people. Tsume, the eldest, relaxed against the back wall, while Toboe, the pup, rested at his feet. Kiba sat on top of a crate, leaning his head against the wall. Finally, the brown wolf, Hige, sat up, eyes open and staring, glazed over. They hollowly examined every crag in the surface of the wall opposite him. He didn't pay attention.

Suddenly, a sound filled his ears- it was the most beautiful and familiar sound he had ever heard. He began to remember it, and as he did, his orbs widened slowly.

"It can't be," he whispered under his breath, shaking his head vigorously. The sound continued, the stunning howl. It was both music and torture to Hige's ears. For a few minutes he sat there, trying to ignore it. He even tried pressing his hands tight over his ears. Finally, he could no longer stand it, and heaved himself to his feet. Wandering through the streets, Hige listened for the musical howling, coming closer with every step. He continued like this for a while, though he couldn't say how long exactly. Perhaps an hour, perhaps a few minutes.

The wolf stumbled into the alley, crimson hues settling on the woman singing. He froze dead in his tracks as she acknowledged him with a warm smile. "Hige," she sighed, her voice filled with promise and nostalgia. He continued to gaze at her, dumbfounded. A look of anger mixed with sadness replaced the one of shock on his face.

"Namida…" he said, his voice calm. His eyes glared at her, watching as she picked herself up and began to step gingerly toward him. She raised her hand to touch his cheek, and he swiftly took a step backwards, curling his upper lip to scowl at her.

"Hige, please… Please come back to us…" Her voice flowed like honey, and her orbs brimmed with tears. She watched the boy for a reaction, but he didn't move, until finally, a full minute later, he mumbled something inaudible.

Namida cocked her head and gave him a quizzical look. "Wh- what did you-" Hige cut her off, yelling, "What do you mean?" After a moment, he added in a softer tone, "You're the one who tricked them into… Into abandoning me…" He let out a small sigh, putting his hands on either side of his head.

There was silence for a moment, and finally, Hige whipped around to leave- yet he was confronted by another body- A woman slightly taller than him stood there, raven locks hanging in tendrils around her thin face. A tight chain wrapped itself around her neck, and she glowered at him. Hige returned the glare, and cracked a bitter grin. "Well, if it isn't Sumeji…" he hissed, and made to push past her. She held out an arm to block his way.

"And who do we have here? The runt…" She gave him a cracked smile, pushing him backwards with a sweep of her hand. He toppled over, landing with a thud on his back. "I thought," he said menacingly, while pushing himself up, "that you both never wanted to see me again. Whatever happened to those happy days?" The last sentence, he uttered with a hint of sarcasm.

Sumeji let out a laugh, stepping towards him. "I'm doing this for your dear sister, Hige," she said, and gave a pointed glance behind him at Namida. "She misses you terribly." Crossing her arms, she leaned back onto the wall. The other female delicately placed her hands on Hige's shoulders, which made him jump, startled. "Please, Hige…?" she muttered, staring at him with her large eyes.

"N-no!" Hige whispered furiously, shrugging himself out of her grip. He looked around at Sumeji, who was watching the ground, clearly uninterested. He took the opportunity to escape, and began to sprint out of the alley and back to his new pack, blood pounding in his ears. The women watched him leave, Namida looking angered, and Sumeji, exasperated.

"I told you he wouldn't come, Namida… Now what do you propose we do?" the elder wolf exclaimed, whirling to face the girl in question.

"I'm not sure," replied Namida softly, before turning back to the corner.

* * *

Ooooooh. …

The Planner Conspiracy


	2. My, They're Persistent

Whiskers: I have one thing to say. ::sniff:: Scaryyy!

Urei-sama: AGH! They were supposed to be sleeping. I'm so dumb sometimes… I'm also too lazy to change it right now. --;;

Toboe's Pup: I'll keep those suggestions in mind! ::snort:: It'll be soon, I _promise. _

Lil'-Wolf-Paws: Wow! Thanks! Of course I'll read it! It sounds promising.

Tan Whiskers(or, if you prefer, Melissa and Isaac): Wow, that was the most fun review I have ever had the pleasure of receiving. And yes, Isaac, some would consider Su to be evil. She's cool, ain't she? __

Oh, yes… For the sake of the story, let's just assume they're always in human disguise unless I say otherwise.… Cause I'm too used to them looking human.… I've only seen about five episodes. ::whistles innocently::

So... on with the show!

* * *

Hige sighed and ran a hand through his hair. It had been two days since the run-in with the two female wolves, and he had been especially quiet. Of course, the other members of the pack took notice as they ventured across the wasteland that existed between each city, on their way to Paradise.

"Hige," Toboe started casually, although the look on his face betrayed his worry. "You've been quiet lately!" The boy sent him a sideways glance and replied, "Maybe you've just been louder than usual, Toboe."

The pup stopped, staring at him closely. Hige also came to a halt, and, avoiding eye contact, muttered, "What is it?"

"You didn't call me runt," Toboe said bluntly, still peering at Hige through squinted eyes. This threw the stocky wolf off guard, and they stood and watched each other for a few seconds before the voice of Kiba floated up from ahead.

"Come on, you two… You'll fall behind." Hige quickly obeyed and jogged forward. After a moment, Toboe followed, brushing off the incident like he'd brush a bug from his shoulder.

* * *

A pair of wolf's eyes gazed through the wilderness, watching the four creatures pad along through the crunching snow.

"Sumeji... There they are. It's the runt and his new pack."

The woman being addressed, who had been sulking in boredom a few feet away, gazed in the direction her sister pointed out. "Hm… So it is," she stated. "We should go after them." He voice remained monotone as she spoke, and despite her suggestion, she didn't move.

"Of course we will, Su…" Namida mumbled, starting off through the ankle-deep snow. The hem of her dress grazed the blanket, creating a small trail. The elder followed her, baring her teeth in a scowl. "This is stupid, Namida. We don't need the kid. He's not going to come anyway."

After a moment, Namida reacted with a glare thrown quickly behind her. She came to a halt. "Don't argue with me… I can make you fall…" She let the ominous warning hang in the air before turning around and continuing after Hige and his friends.

Sumeji muttered a curse word under her breath and tramped after her, sulking.

* * *

That very night, Kiba, Toboe, Tsume, and Hige lay in a cave, sleeping and taking refuge from the approaching storm, putting their human illusions to rest as well as their bodies.

Three of the four dozed soundly, unperturbed by the weight of their worries; it was the white wolf that tossed and turned, just barely asleep. He dreamt of Paradise, of Cheza—of it all being taken away in the blink of an eye. It was his worst fear.

He awoke suddenly, panting heavily. "Dammit," he muttered, wiping his face. "For once, I'd like a good night's slee—"

Kiba was cut off by the sound of approaching footsteps. He swiftly rose to his feet and bared his teeth, peering anxiously at the entrance of the cave. A low growl came from his throat, which roused the others. In a matter of seconds, they had taken the same defensive stance as their leader, any grogginess that they might have felt upon waking gone.

The tense moment of waiting continued for a few more seconds, and the sound of footsteps crunching through the snow filled their ears.

Into the cave stepped two female wolves- one with fur as black as the night, and the other with a glistening coat of copper. They all stood in silence for a few moments.

Finally, from the back of the cave, someone muttered, "Oh, shit…"

* * *

"Hige?" Toboe said behind him, a look of concern on his face. He gingerly stepped over to his friend, one paw in front of the other. Hige simply stared ahead of him at the wolves that had just entered the cave, his expression indecipherable.

Suddenly, the stocky wolf began to growl, baring his teeth once more. His eyes filled with anger and hatred, centered only on the women. They looked back at him in amusement, and finally, the black wolf spoke.

"Look, it's the runt again." Her tone and expression indicated that it was no coincidence that they were there. The other woman looked around, then back at Hige. "I guess you're right, Su," she said, advancing on the boy. Hige snapped at her warningly, and then inquired nastily, "Namida. What are you doing here?"

Namida laughed, stopping a foot away from him. "I think you know full well, Hige."

Hige opened his mouth to speak, glaring at the girl across from him, but was interrupted by his gray companion.

"Hige, who the hell are these people?" Tsume barked, standing tensely behind Kiba. His orbs flicked back and forth between Sumeji and Namida. He didn't like this situation one bit.

Hige shot him a glare, then turned back to the wolf that was almost identical to him. A whisper audible to only Namida and himself escaped his lips. "I don't know them anymore." Out loud, he replied simply, "They _used _to be my family."

Sumeji approached the boy, and he stared at her defiantly. With a small smile, she pushed him slightly, causing him to stumble back a ways. "Still a runt, aren't you, Hige?" She gave him an amused grin as she watched him back up a few steps more of his own accord.

"What do you want?" he asked again in a slightly less menacing whisper. Perhaps the realization that the black fae could kill him easily was beginning to sink in, and maybe he was just tired. Either way, he was losing his edge quickly.

Toboe growled, positioned only feet from Hige's side. His fur bristled, and he took a step toward the three wolves.

Namida's fake beam adorned her face as she declared sweetly, "Didn't we tell you the other night, little brother?" She leaned in closer, his angry expression inches away from her innocent one.

"Hige, what's she talking about?" Kiba suddenly chimed in, slowly pacing to Sumeji's side. Hige hesitated, watching his pack leader's face. "Two nights ago," he started, his voice slowly gaining strength, "when you three were asleep, I—" There was a pause. "I ran into Namida and Sumeji here."

"And we asked the boy to come back with us. We miss him _so _terribly," Sumeji said, rolling her eyes at Namida in a gesture only her companion could see. Hige huffed disbelievingly, averting his gaze.

"Come back with us," Sumeji prodded lazily, cocking her head at Hige.

"For the last time, _no!_" Hige snapped, barely keeping himself from lashing out physically at her. "God dammit, leave me the hell alone," he added softly, scowling.

There was a slight, apprehensive pause in which every wolf stared at Hige, who in turn gazed at Namida, a despondent look on his face.

Namida sighed and said loftily, "Come on, Sumeji, I guess we'll do what he says…"

As she and her sister traipsed out of the cave, she added ominously, "For now."

On that note, the two women exited, leaving three of the pack dumbfounded and gaping. The fourth simply sighed and turned away, sorrow evident in his features.

* * *

Ugh… I hate this chapter. --;;

The Planner Conspiracy


	3. Prophetic

Whiskers: Hehe… There _is _a reason they're being so goddamn persistent… I just don't know it yet. oO;;

Toboe's Pup: Aw, come on. It's not supposed to be a physical battle.

ArrowSphere: Eh, thanks! Nah, his dreams don't mean a thing. They were a reason for him to wake up, is all. ;;

WolfofMidnight: I love Hige too! Who doesn't?

Hey, I already checked out your story! Hehe… Reviewed, too!

* * *

"Namida, Sumeji!" The call of a young wolf rang through the desolate wasteland. The mouth from which it came widened in a grin. The small boy waved enthusiastically, jumping up in the air. He looked like a mini Hige, with his bushy reddish locks and stocky build. An oversized blue sweatshirt kept him warm, despite a tear or two in the fabric. His jeans, too, were too big for this thin frame, and would never stay on his waist if not for the makeshift belt of rope he had tied there. 

The women whom he had been addressing approached him, giving only a small smile before they passed. Tilting his head in a confused manner, he ran after them, stumbling slightly. "Mom and Daddy are up ahead," he informed them as he caught up, slowing to a mere walk.

"Alright, Aisoku. You run and catch up to them, alright?" Namida replied emotionlessly, giving the boy a slight shove on the back. He staggered forward a bit before nodding and scampering off.

A few minutes went by in silence as the two women watched their younger brother run ahead. As Aisoku faded into the distance, Sumeji spoke. "He's the image of Hige, isn't he?"

A sigh escaped her companion's lips, and it took a moment for her to respond. "Looks exactly like him," she said matter-of-factly, watching her breath form curls of condensation in front of her. Once more, a silence fell; it was so profound, it seemed to envelop the whole world.

Sumeji chuckled moments later, brushing her hair back with a swipe of her hand. "It's amazing," she mused. "When he was that age, he used to look up to us so much… He loved us unconditionally. And then… it all changed. He's on the other end of the spectrum now. Unconditional hate…"

Namida sighed, and looked upward, as if the sky would display the answers to all the trouble in the world. "He knew why he was abandoned, Su. He knows that we caused it."

A nod was her only reply as the hush took over again.

They walked like this for a long while, neither advancing ahead of the other. Still, neither spoke, even when they saw a city up ahead.

After a few more minutes had passed in this manner, Sumeji began to speak again. "Namida, I never asked you before, but…" She sighed again. "I _know _we aren't being so persistent simply because we miss the kid. Hell, I don't think I _do _miss him. Why are we hunting him down?"

A flash of anger appeared on the copper-haired woman, combined with another emotion- fear, perhaps? guilt? Sumeji shot her a glance and hung her head, waiting silently for the answer that might not even come.

"I'll tell you some other time," Namida told her quietly, and ran ahead. Sumeji came to a halt, hands stuffed into her pockets. For a second or two, she stood, staring at the place her sister's head had been moments before. With one last glance, she turned and ran after her.

* * *

Soon after the two females had exited the cave, Kiba rounded on Hige, the dumbfounded look still plastered onto his visage. "Hige-" he started, but, unable to finished, quickly shut his mouth. The tan wolf turned to him and gave a weak grin before sitting down against the wall. 

Toboe came and kneeled in front of his friend, peering at him intently. "Are you alright?" he questioned, cocking his head. Hige stared at him for a moment, a look of anguish apparent on his face, then replied hoarsely, "Yeah, Toboe, I'm fine." He sighed and gazed at the ground for a moment before squeezing his crimson optics shut.

The rest of the wolves sat in uneasy silence, still gazing at him intently as if he were about to sprout wings.

"Hige, what the hell was that?" Tsume growled suddenly, taking a step towards Hige. The wolf in question looked up at him, trying his best to look as if they had just taken a nice walk instead of encountering two threatening members of his family.

"Oh, that?" he said in a happy-go-lucky voice, tinged with sorrow. "That was only Namida and Sumeji." He stood up and crossed over to the cave's exit, glaring out of it. Resisting the urge to start off on a tirade about how much he hated the, Hige turned back and merely rested against the wall for a minute.

"Well- we can't just sit around, and I gather no one's going to get back to sleep any time soon," Kiba started, to break the silence. "Let's get going…" Glad for a reason to leave, his companions nodded and followed him out of the exit and into the night.

As they traveled for hours on end through the crunching snow, Toboe couldn't help but notice that his stocky friend was lagging behind even himself, bringing up the rear. He stopped for a moment, then jogged backwards so that he was walking side by side with Hige.

In a raspy whisper, Hige thanked him, throwing the pup a weak smile. Toboe returned it, worry filling his brown hues, then turned towards the front again.

"Hey, look! There's a city up ahead!" he cried, and picked up the pace. "C'mon, Hige, I'll race ya!" The older wolf let out a laughed as Toboe scampered off. He sprinted after him, yelling, "Alright, kid, but you don't stand a chance!" Kiba and Tsume watched them race towards the city that loomed on the horizon, coming closer with every step.

"Those girls," Tsume started, narrowing his eyes. "Something must be going on. Why were they so goddamn eager to get him back? Did you see the way they were treating him? They don't miss him, that's for sure…"

Kiba nodded. "Maybe it's some sort of... I don't know… Something involving Paradise, maybe...? It doesn't sound good, in any case…"

Tsume simply nodded, and began to quicken his step, so as to make sure that the younger wolves did not go astray from their path. A moment passed, and Kiba followed, his paws crunching in the snow.

* * *

The stars had pushed upward, dotting the ever-darkening sky. Night had fallen, and Hige and Toboe were still racing for the city, almost there, now. 

Toboe stopped running when Hige, now settled comfortably into his human illusion, stopped cold in his tracks. The pup hurried forward, the pout that had appeared when he had realized that he was losing fading quickly. "Hige, what's---" He was quickly cut off, however, when Hige fell to his knees, swiftly clutching at his head.

"Hige!" Toboe yelled, his voice ringing harshly in the air. Heavy pants escaped from deep in Hige's throat, mixed with short, pained grunts. The runt of the pack knelt at his side, placing a hand on his shoulder.

The copper-furred wolf's name was shouted once more, and Toboe turned around to see Tsume and Kiba sprinting toward them. "I don't know what happened," he informed them, voice and eyes filled to the brim with worry. They crowded around him just as he collapsed, falling into the arms of the pure white wolf.

As they carried the boy into the city, no one noticed the stars in the sky dimming out one by one.

* * *

How prophetic. Ooooooooooo. 

The Planner Conspiracy


	4. The Actual Prophecy Part

Melissa and Isaac: I'm not exactly sure what to say, cause most of that review was not directed towards me... But thanks! ::grin::

Whiskers: I'm _not killing Hige. _Calm yourself. And thanks!

Toboe's Pup: A tad impatient, aren't we? I'm kind of figuring this out as I go...

DemiSaiyan: Sankyuu vurah much! Doesn't he, though?

Well, that's that. And by the way... The characters may be OOC, cause I haven't actually seen much WR.

Ack! Umumum... Okay, for this chapter, pretend that you can see stars in the city? Arigatou.

* * *

Toboe hovered around the thickset boy, worry evident in his eyes. Hige had been laid out on the ground in an alleyway, pain still coursing through his unconscious body. Every so often, as they lay in wait for Kiba and Tsume to return, he would squirm uncomfortably, and Toboe would instantly be at his side.

The pup sighed, opening his eyes and training them at the concrete, observing each crack, each speck. Slowly, his gaze made its way upward to the sky.

He stood, harshly and suddenly, his breath catching in his throat. "The stars--!" he whispered, reaching up with his fingers as if to touch the heavens.

Each star was now completely extinguished, leaving the crimson moon to stare down at them, all alone in the pitch darkness surrounding it. Toboe whirled around, watching intently for any speck of light in the sky; he found none. His mouth hung open as he backed up slowly. His back met the stony wall, and he pressed his palms against it. For minutes he stood in that very position. It was only until Hige moaned in his sleep that he looked away from the starless blanket above him to, instead, rush to the boy's side.

Just then, a bundle in the corner stirred slightly, and Toboe jolted to attention, orbs shifting to the dark, threadbare pack of blankets. Slowly, a head poked out from the top- the skin waxy and gnarled with age. Thin strands of wiry, raven hair pushed through the scalp, grazing the top of the person's binds. Sunken eyes blinked open, staring first at Toboe, and then at the elder man that lay only feet away from the hem of its blankets.

The person's mouth opened, eyes widening. Pale lips separated in a silent scream, and the being jerked away, huddling further into the corner. Finally, an odd screech emitted from its throat.

Toboe watched all this with growing curiosity, taking Hige's hand in his and pulling him back a few inches.

Suddenly, the individual's head dropped to its chest, and a raspy, cold voice escaped from its mouth. The lips barely moved as the words were spoken:

"On the day the moon and third star align, the wolf that holds the last key shall emerge to destroy the world, leading the survivors to Paradise."

A shudder went through the body, and it huddled into the corner again, casting one more dark glance in the wolves' direction.

Toboe gaped at the bundle of blankets, thoughts racing through his mind. _Paradise? Key? What was she talking about...?_

Then his gaze traveled down to Hige. The person in the covers had been afraid of him. Furrowing his eyebrows, he ran his fingers along his comatose friend's collar, lingering above the metal impressed in its surface.

Just then, Kiba and Tsume returned, their expressions grim. The being in the corner gave a shuddering grunt of disapproval and turned away even more. Toboe looked up quickly, pulling away from the collar, and said hopefully, "Did you find anything?" Kiba shook his head pensively before sitting against the wall next to him. Toboe stood up quickly, crossing over to Tsume and clutching onto his shirt sleeve. He gazed up at the elder wolf, features twisted into a sorrowful, pleading expression. Slowly his raised his hand, index finger extended, and pointed to the sky.

Tsume slowly looked up, raising his head toward the heavens. After scanning the dark blanket above him, he looked back down to the runt and nodded. "I know," was his only reply before plopping down onto the ground and putting his head in his hands.

Toboe's mind whirled with a plethora of thoughts, and he shook his head vigorously.

_Should I tell Tsume and Kiba what that... thing said?_

Toboe gave a sigh, stealing a glance at the person in the corner, who now appeared to be in a deep sleep. With a nod of resolution, he opened his mouth to speak, and was interrupted by a groan from the comatose Hige. Dejected, the pup closed his mouth and sighed once more before lying down to sleep. Almost instantly, a deep slumber took him, and he knew no more.

* * *

Kiba awoke to a heavy thudding, the ground vibrating beneath his cheek. Groggily, he opened his eyes. It was still so dark- It couldn't be anywhere close to morning. His orbs were still heavy with sleep, and so his vision was indisputably blurred. He could make out a distinct figure, still dark like the rest of his surroundings, yet a different kind of dark- the darkness of a living being. Kiba's arm slid out from underneath his body, and he propped himself up, rubbing his eyes with his other hand. When he was sitting up fully, he let his icy optics open once more. They widened with horror upon seeing the figure before him.

Sumeji was walking away, her back to him. However, as Kiba's vision adjusted to the dark, he noticed another person, dangling limply from her arms.

It was Hige.

In one leap, Kiba was planted right in front of her, muscles tight and teeth bared. Sumeji started, halting suddenly, before her lips curled into a devilish grin. "I was hoping I'd be able to do this without attracting any attention," she told him dryly. Suddenly, she put on a dramatic(and obviously quite fake) look of despair and said, "I guess I'll have to take you down, then." She let Hige fall to the ground, where he landed quite violently, and took a defensive stance, facing Hige with an unnerving calm.

"Damn you..." Kiba growled, staring her down. "What do you _want?_" Sumeji responded by leaping at him, human illusion forgotten. Kiba, too, dropped his act as her body slammed into his, causing him to fall back onto the ground.

The fight roused Toboe and Tsume from their sleep, and, upon seeing the two wolves locked in battle, they jumped up to help, shaking off the burden of sleep.

Toboe spotted Hige lying on the ground near them, and rushed over to assist, avoiding the fight as best he could. Tsume leaned down and pulled Sumeji off of Kiba, stopping the brawl. The two wolves were, once again, hidden by their illusions.

Kiba pushed himself up onto his elbows, swiping at his mouth with the back of his hand. It flopped back to his side covered in blood. Sumeji scowled at him, thick red fluid oozing from above her eyebrow.

Tsume took one look at her and growled, "You again...?" He sighed and dropped her to the ground, holding a hand to his forehead. "And where's your little friend?"

"I'm right here," a voice said from the entrance of the alley. Toboe jumped, staring behind him at the fae. He pulled Hige back from her protectively, frowning.

Namida stepped toward Tsume, looking from Kiba to Sumeji, eyebrow cocked. "Looks like these two got into a little fight. Now, Sumeji... I thought we'd agreed not to attract attention..." The wolf in question turned away, wincing as a wound on her stomach twisted with her.

Kiba tried to stand, but quickly fell again, grasping a gash on his leg. He muttered something incoherent before gazing up at Namida and asking, "What are you doing here?" He pulled back his lips, baring his teeth.

"Oh, aren't you just so frightening...?" Namida said lazily, rolling her crimson hues. "If you must know, I'm here to retrieve my dear brother," she gestured behind her, then sighed. "I would've thought you'd have guessed by now."

Toboe hugged Hige to him, glancing at the still figure in the corner.

_On the day the moon and third star align, the wolf that holds the last key shall emerge to destroy the world, leading the survivors to Paradise_...

Is that was this was about? The pup frowned, standing up. Hige dangled limply in his arms, head dropped onto his chest.

"You can't have him," he announced, his voice shaky yet oddly resolute. Surprised, Namida looked over her shoulder at him, then cracked an angry grin. "What the hell do you think you're going to—"

Namida was cut off by a pained grunt from the unconscious boy hanging from Toboe's grasp. She stared down at him, mouth hanging open slightly.

Hige's face was twisted in a grimace. Strained groans and grunts emitted from the back of his throat, and his hands flew to his head. Toboe's eyes sprung wide open in surprise, and suddenly, Hige's tense body became white-hot. The pup yelped in agony, dropping his friend to the ground and staring at his arms. Burns were forming on their surface, and Toboe had to bite his lip to keep from crying.

Kiba, Tsume, and Sumeji stared at Hige in wonder as he writhed on the ground, grunts escalating into screams of pain. Namida took a step forward, grinning.

"I was hoping we could get him back before it happened," she stated, speaking to no one in particular. A screech came from the corner, but Toboe was the only one whose attention was drawn to it.

Of course! he thought, holding his hand to his forehead. What was it the person it the corner had said?

_On the day the moon and third star align, the wolf that holds the last key shall emerge to destroy the world, leading the survivors to Paradise_...

_Destroy the world..._

Toboe's eyes filled with tears. Namida and Sumeji didn't want Hige back at all; they were using him to open Paradise. A scowl formed on his face, and he turned to Hige, wondering what in the world he could do.

Sumeji leapt to her feet, towering above Namida. "What are you talking about? What's happening to him?" she demanded, pointing downward at her brother.

"It's the prophecy," Namida replied, not tearing her eyes away from Hige. She cleared her throat and began to recite the words foretelling Death and Paradise:

"On the day the moon and third star align, the wolf that holds the last key shall emerge to destroy the world, leading the survivors to Paradise..."

Kiba gaped up at her, then down at his companion. "Hige...?" he said blearily, taking a deep breath. "It can't..."

"It _is!_" another, less familiar voice bellowed; the being in the corner stood, index finger erect in the air. The wolves watched her with growing fascination. "This wolf is the key to Paradise! Only those worthy will survive!"

As she spoke(the wolves guessed it was a woman), the person had staggered forward, legs wobbling. She let out a low wail, and, upon realizing she had arrived next to Hige, the wail turned into a screech, and she leapt backward, landing on her backside.

"He will kill! The world will turn red as the moon! It will bathe in the blood of the humans, of the wretched souls!"

With that, the person slumped into a dead faint, falling against the cold wall of the alleyway.

* * *

This chapter took a long time to pump out. Sorry vurah much to ew all.

It was really, really fun to write, though! 'Specially the last part.

The Planner Conspiracy


	5. Dreamland

Y Sunshine: Heh, your review got cut off. Thanks anyway(you did tell me on AIM…)

Whiskers: Wow, you're… calm. Yeah, I love weaving prophecies into stories. Funfun.

Alright. For this chapter… It's gonna be a bit confusing, so bear with me. Also- let's say that Toboe, Tsume, and Kiba already know the meaning behind Hige's collar, kay? Good things.

Muah. Enjoy.

* * *

Hige's body was in turmoil- indescribable pain rippled through it constantly, causing him to shudder and writhe in Toboe's arms. He heard voices from outside, though he couldn't understand a word they were saying; not that he wanted to hear anyway. He was focused on stopping the pain, but he didn't know how.

Suddenly, he began to burn- white-hot pain surged through him, and he felt himself fall. He hit the ground with a thud, where he continued to squirm. He heard more voices, shrieks, wails; even though he couldn't understand them, he was beginning to pay more attention.

Then, the voices stopped, and the headache that plagued him dulled, now throbbing slowly. He felt a hand on his forehead, and it was quickly withdrawn. "I told you, he's really hot…" Hige finally managed to distinguish words from mumbles, but he still couldn't recognize the voice.

"Toboe, your arms…"

Ah, so the voice must have been Toboe, Hige deduced. He could hear himself panting, could feel cold sweat fall in beads from his forehead.

"Yeah," the runt's small voice rung out again. "It was from Hige." More silence, and suddenly-

Another surge of pain flowed through Hige's body, more intense than the last. He could hear himself scream, but did not remember doing it. He curled up in a ball, and more shouts could be heard, sending another rush of pain into his head. An eerie brightness filled his eyes, and he shielded them from it, scowl forming on his face.

Then, everything abruptly came to a stop; The shouting, the pain, the light, all of it faded away, leaving Hige comfortably in the cool darkness. He opened his eyes, confused, yet endlessly relieved.

Whoa, he thought. Where am I?

The sky shone bright tones of blue, streaked here and there with wispy white clouds. The sun cast a bleary white glow upon the green earth. Hige had never seen such a beauteous landscape stretched before him, and he gaped at it, crimson hues wide. He turned around to take in the whole thing, but stopped cold halfway through- opposite the fertile land was a barren one, much like the place that the earth was now. The place that he stood marked the dividing line for the alternate worlds.

As Hige watched the dead terrain, a scene played out in front of him:

A small boy with bushy, reddish locks, eyes of the darkest crimson, and a plump build appeared, happily running after four other people: Two adults(the female had black hair, and the male, copper) and two younger females. The boy then took on a worried look and began to run faster, reaching out with wiggling fingers to the group ahead. His mouth opened in a yell, but Hige couldn't hear anything. The two girls looked back at him, their expressions insipid, before the younger stood on tiptoes and whispered something into the ear of her father. He hung his head, and did not turn around. Instead, he grasped the hands of his wife and daughter and picked up the pace.

The little boy behind them stopped, tears welling up in his eyes. He opened his mouth and screamed another silent scream, then fell to the ground and wiped at his eyes with his oversized sweater.

Suddenly, all five figures disappeared, and Hige found himself on all fours, tears falling slowly from his eyes. He recognized it, all of it; the little boy, the family he was trying so hard to get to, even the place. It was him, his past; it was what created him.

He hated it.

Hige remembered that incident all too well. It had happened a long time ago, perhaps thirteen whole years. Namida and Sumeji persuaded their parents that he… That he what? He couldn't recall- maybe he never even knew.

Suddenly, a noise from behind distracted him, and he whirled around, wiping his eyes. His eyes met a young boy, chasing a butterfly on the beautiful landscape. Hige's red orbs widened. "That's… me…" he whispered, squinting at the boy. A voice from far away called, "Aisoku!" The child looked up, grinning, and ran after the voice, leaving the butterfly, forgotten, to float away.

"Aisoku?" Hige mused aloud, watching the younger version of himself stumble blissfully across the grass. Suddenly, the boy stopped, looking around. A confused and slightly suspicious look adorned his face, and Hige couldn't help but laugh: he was just so adorable. Aisoku yelled, "Who's there?" and put his hands on his hips indignantly. Hige furrowed his brows.

Can he hear me? he thought, before covering his mouth, just in case he was right. The child scanned the area a few more times before shrugging and scampering off, joyful once more.

After he disappeared from sight, Hige sat, stock still, staring after him. "Ai- Aisoku… So, that's not me?" He stroked his chin, furrowing his eyebrows in deep thought, until a sound from behind snapped him out of it. He whipped around, gazing into the barren land, before he realized that the landscape had changed; it was now bustling city, wide streets congested with people. A heavy rain fell down, splashing against the pavement and creating pools in the cracks and holes.

Hige noticed a familiar face- it was his father, thirteen years ago- opposite the tall man was the younger version of himself, staring up at him with wet eyes. His mouth moved, but silence filled the air, and suddenly, the elder wolf struck out, knocking the child to the ground. Hige's father simply stood, volatile, watching his son quiver on the ground.

He could not watch anymore- our Hige turned away, cherry optics filled to the brim with hot tears. "Please, just get me out of this… this place!" he bellowed into the air, pressing a hand to his forehead.

Abruptly, he found himself somewhere else- it was a dark alleyway, and he could _see, _however fuzzy his vision may be. He noticed, very distinctly, a body hunched over him, exuding an aura of worry and restrained fury. He knew immediately by the color of his hair that it was the leader of the pack he'd recently joined- Kiba.

Hige coughed before attempting to utter his friend's name, but a hand was placed over his mouth instead. He could feel a tingling sensation all through his body, along with the same dull throb as before.

Suddenly, another figure came stomping up, and the injured wolf immediately knew who it was. Namida leaned down to pull her brother away from Kiba, who was quick to lash out at her- unfortunately, he missed, and she pulled Hige into her arms and stood erect. She cast an evil glare around her, subduing both Kiba and Tsume, who were ready to lunge at her.

Hige felt very comfortable, all of a sudden, in Namida's arms. A lethargic feeling washed over him, and he stared up at the sky, taking in the crimson moon and the inky blue atmosphere.

Slowly, a star began to glow in the sky. No one noticed it at first but he, and he stared at it with fascination as it grew bright and brighter. Finally, its brilliance caught the eyes of his companions, and they, too, watched it, eyes wide. Namida began to grin again. "Good," she whispered. "It's beginning."

As if on cue, Hige doubled over in pain, causing him to fall out of Namida's arms. She rubbed her hands together, watching as he gasped, his whole person burning. "Soon," she hissed, "he will awaken."

Toboe stared down at his friend, hot tears stinging his eyes. He reached out instinctively and took hold of Tsume's sleeve, not taking his eyes off of Hige. Tsume tensed momentarily, peering at the pup, then back at their stocky companion.

Kiba stood, leaning against the wall, clutching at his wounds. He felt so helpless to stop anything: Hige was going to destroy the world, according to the prophecy. What would become of him; what would happen to everyone else?

Suddenly, his thoughts were interrupted by a voice at the entrance of the alleyway:

"Namida? Sumeji? What's going on?"

Namida whirled around, recognizing immediately the owner of the voice. The wolves, excepting Hige, looked up to stare at the tall figure- no, there were two- that stood, watching Namida.

"Mother- Dad…" she whispered, abruptly straightening herself up. Kiba could make out

a tall man with copper hair that hung in tendrils around his thick face, along with a petit woman with long, slightly bushy raven locks.

The woman- Namida's mother- stepped forward into the alley, gaping at the boy on the ground. He was the only source of noise, still twisting on the cold ground. Her husband followed, and, after a few moments of gawking at him, looked first to Namida, and then Sumeji. "I-is this?" he whispered in a gruff, hoarse voice, lifting a finger to point.

Sumeji paused, opening her mouth to speak, then simply nodded, snapping her lips together like the clasp of a purse.

"My God…" her mother murmured, eyes brimming with tears. "Oh, my god… _Hige…_" She watched her son as he squirmed on the ground, panting and grunting in pain. She covered her eyes with her long fingers and began to weep softly. Her husband stood by her side, staring blankly down at the boy. Everyone else watched the pair tensely, as if they were about to explode into a million fiery pieces.

Suddenly, the man's face grew angry, and he shut his eyes. "Namida—that collar around his neck…"

Namida snapped to attention, looking at him, then down at Hige's collar. "Ah- yes. I- I didn't think much of it when I saw it…"

"I know what that is…" her mother said abruptly, pulling her face out of her hands. "That's… the collar Jaguara puts on her wolves." As realization hit her, her eyes widened, and she began to sob into her hands once more.

Namida grinned, focusing her gaze on Hige's collar. She could, most definitely, use this to her advantage.

"See?" she cried, pretending to be dismayed by the news. She held her hands together, looking at her father with a pleading expression. "I told you—one day he would betray us! Aren't you _glad _that you listened to me now, all those years ago?" She looked at her brother in disgust, pulling the hem of her skirt away from him.

Sumeji nodded, watching Namida with a puzzled face.

"He's a traitor!" the copper-haired woman spat, eyeing Hige as if her were the devil himself.

Suddenly, the runt known as Toboe leapt up, baring his teeth. "He is _not _a traitor!" he yelled, and immediately knew that if he was seeking to win this argument, then he should certainly stop trying. Namida's eyes snapped onto him, and she growled. "Of course he is… And he would've betrayed you, too!" Toboe shut his mouth, hanging his head.

"Mother, Father… Leave him. Go back to Aisoku… Sumeji and I will be along soon… Don't worry," she said this in the most mature voice she could muster.

Without a response, her father grabbed his wife's elbow and, almost literally, dragged her out of sight, his boots thumping hard against the cold, wet asphalt beneath them.

A silence filled the air, bursting through the very beings of each of the wolves. "Namida..." Sumeji began, only to be interrupted by the very person whom she was addressing.

"Take Hige and go… Out of town. I'll find you," she muttered. Sumeji nodded, slowly standing up. Her wounds oozed with blood, but she clenched her teeth and bore it.

Kiba stood as well, blocking her path as she tried to make her way for Hige. "No," he said icily, his wintry eyes glinting. "You're _not getting Hige_."

Namida laughed. "_You'll _stop us?" she cried. "You can't stop us… When he awakens, he will kill you all!" She cackled maliciously, and Tsume, Kiba, and Toboe watched her reproachfully.

"When the sun rises…" Namida said, suddenly hushed, as she gazed softly at her brother. "He will rise with it. The world… will not survive." A grin broke out on her face once more, and she reached out toward Kiba, and pushed him aside roughly. He fell onto his back, clutching his wounds. Toboe scrambled to his side, pulling him up into a sitting position. Tsume stood tentatively by the wall, balling his hands into fists until he was sure that his fingernails would pierce through his palms.

Sumeji bent down and hefted Hige up into her arms. With a smirk, she said, "We'll be leaving now." There was silence as she turned and jumped upward to lad on the roof. She quickly disappeared from sight. Namida leaned against the wall, eyes shadowed by her hair, and grinned, appearing almost insane.

Kiba leaned forward and got to his feet, wobbly, unsteady, and slow. He faced Tsume, as Toboe reached out for him, worried as always.

"You let her get away with Hige!" Kiba shouted, backhanding the grey wolf in the face. "Paradise is in the hands of that bitch!" He gestured back to Namida, watching Tsume scowl, head bowed.

There was a long, tense pause, in which the grey wolf looked up to meet the gaze of the white wolf. He suddenly shed his human illusion, standing before Kiba with his pearly teeth gleaming. Kiba followed suit, and in a flash, they had leapt onto each other, and blood spattered against the wall, gleaming in the moonlight.

"Hey! S-stop!" Toboe shouted, his mind racing. He couldn't decide, as he danced around worriedly, whether or not to go closer to the fight and try to break them apart, or stay a safe distance away.

"Oh, come on, little wolf…" a soft voice was heard behind him, and he whipped around, eyes darting back and forth until they rested on Namida.

She was slowly lifting herself off of the wall, taking slow, leaden steps toward him. Toboe cried out in surprise, backing up a few, staggering paces. With a long finger, Namida stroked the boy carefully under the chin, looking to the fighting brutes.

"Let them fight…" she whispered, leaning close to his ear. "The fools… It only breaks apart the pack even further…" With a sinister grin, she hissed, "It also helps me achieve my goals… _Sayonara, _little one…" She turned, waving her fingers back at him, and leapt up onto the nearby roof.

Toboe gulped, watching her retreat into the midnight sky. He looked behind him with a resolute gaze at Tsume and Kiba, still brawling fiercely. Low growls and high-pitched

squeals of pain rang through the night air.

The runt bit his lip, looking back up to the very spot Namida had left from. With a sigh, he bent down and sprang into the air, landing with a thud on the roof. Without looking back, Toboe followed the female's scent along the rooftops, disappearing into the cold air.

* * *

What happened to my reviewers?

Anyway, enjoy your Christmas present! Or… holiday present, whatever.

The Planner Conspiracy


	6. Stars Give Way to Sunshine

Disclaimer: Don't own it go away.

How long's it been, guys?

H-how long?

* * *

Hige recognized this place. He scowled, revealing two rows of pearly fangs, sitting on a line that divided two worlds. He didn't want to look, so he stared straight ahead, ignoring the sounds that came from either side.

But his will didn't hold for long. A familiar screaming prompted him to turn his head.

Hige visibly winced when he saw what this memory-world held. It was a much more recent scene, maybe six years ago instead of twelve, and it was another field of snow. A twelve-year-old boy was lying on his side in the middle of everything, his cheeks sunken in and his clothes hanging off of his bone-thin body. His mouth was open in a pain-wracked howl and his hands gripped his stomach tightly.

"Oh God, that _hurt,_" he recalled out loud. He'd gotten so sick that he'd been in a delirious fever for nearly a week, babbling and crying. Or, so he'd been told. He'd been rescued the day after this very incident by a passing pack of brooding wolves, who had left him alone as soon as he got better. The prelude to the delirium had been this, this horrible, shuddering pain that had been unmatched- until now.

He hadn't been able to eat almost anything for a long, long time before and after. He remembered counting his ribs one day. Eight on each side, he thought.

Suddenly, the world changed, and young Hige, still emaciated and starved, sat on the top of a cliff with his legs hanging over the surface. His shirt was lifted in one small, grubby hand as he poked his side.

"Five… Six… Seven… Eight." His voice was abnormally weary and thin. "Same on both sides." His lips quirked up in a smile much less than the grin he usually gave nowadays.

Hige groaned aloud, dropping his head into his hands. "Why?" he croaked. "Why is all of this happening to me? Why am I _seeing _this?"

The world behind him let out a terrifying sound- laughter, high-pitched, cackling laughter that overflowed with malice. He turned slowly, dreading what he would see.

Where there once was a beautiful meadow and a cerulean-blue sky, there was a distant city and a great expanse of snowy nothingness. He recognized this place, too. He was here just before the pain, just before he first came to the memory-world.

Namida and Sumeji were there, and the screeching laughter was coming from the former. She was hunched, clutching at her stomach, overcome with some unknown hilarity. Sumeji was carrying-

Nausea overcame him suddenly, and he had to slap his hands over his lips to keep the searing bile down. Sumeji had him hanging limply from her arms, but he was much, much bloodier than he remembered. His nose was horribly bruised and slightly crooked, gushing like a faucet. Scratch marks covered his face and ripped open bits of his clothing down to the bare skin.

And there was _redness _underneath his sister's nails.

Anger ripped him open from the inside. He was on his feet in an instant, fully ready to stomp toward the _bitch _and unleash his rage- but he couldn't move beyond the thin, now barely noticeable line that divided the past and the present. He opened his mouth to express the horrible indignity and frustration he felt, but nothing but several small, resentful noises came.

He sat back down, growling deeply in the very back of his throat, staring straight ahead once more and trying to block everything out. He didn't want to leave this world and be in the hands of the madwoman he'd once called his 'nee-san. He _couldn't _go back yet, because those scratches and the broken nose and the unconscious state he was- amazingly enough- currently in meant pain and weakness. The combination was devastating.

So, he sat and waited, ignoring the terrible sounds of his sister's rampage, trying not to wince as he heard his own body being struck, ripped into and dropped onto the cold ground.

But he couldn't stop the burning tears that stung his nose and dripped solemnly down his cheeks.

* * *

"Namida, what are you doing to him?" Sumeji's voice sounded just as disgusted as Hige, in his dream-world, had felt.

"Pain will make him stronger when he awakens. He'll be filled with fury because… it will hurt so much." Namida finished with a tiny giggle, licking her hands clean. "Want to use your fangs for good measure, Su?"

"No, thanks."

Hige's unconscious body lay face-down in the snow, cheek pressed against the cold whiteness. His sweatshirt was stained dark red in several places, ripped through two layers to reveal the torn flesh. Where his skin wasn't bruised or lacerated, it had taken on a paler hue than one would think possible, almost matching the blanket beneath him.

Sumeji's nose twitched upward in a repulsed manner, and she turned away. "I wish the sun would hurry and come up."

The first rays were peeking carefully over the horizon in tones of purple and dusky grey. It was the most colorful the sky ever was anymore, in this period of near-dawn.

"Almost," Namida assured her, still running her tongue over the stains on her hand. "Almost. Then, we can watch him kill, and… Paradise will be ours."

* * *

Toboe had long ago lost their scent, but, desperate as he was, had been leaping across rooftops for hours until his paws actually groaned beneath him. The pup let out a whine which stopped abruptly halfway through like a spinning record separated from its needle.

"No, no, Toboe, don't back down now," he whispered. He had to _get up, _get _going, _find Hige…

Slowly, he stood, squared on all four legs, and began to hobble forward. The only force that could hinder him so was this crippling, suffocating fatigue that had him wrapped in a blanket of itself. He was so weary that what was supposed to be a leap across two rooftops fell terribly short. His feet slipped off the edge, and he fell plummeting down toward the ground.

His small, runt body collided with the pavement and a tremendous, squealing howl escaped him with a rush of air. Shock enveloped him completely, but when that gave out a mere moment later, all he could feel was the pain. It filled him and paralyzed him even after his consciousness had slipped away.

* * *

Abruptly, Hige was ripped from the dream-world after fifteen more minutes of snarling in resentment and trying not to watch his body get even paler.

He was trapped in the most awkward way- his body was free, groaning, sitting up, but his spirit was curled up in such a tiny space, crowded in with… something else. Something that had a vicious, pounding heartbeat and rage infused into its bloodstream. _His _bloodstream.

He was melding into the other will inside of his skin. They were becoming _each other, _becoming one mind, voice, and character. Blackness swallowed him for a moment, inking over his vision, and when he awoke, he was filled with the sickening, dire urge to kill.

Hige's eyes reached upward. The sky was now a light purple, streaked with still-glowing clouds but no longer holding the redness of sunrise. He looked down again; he saw the blurry outline of a wolf, with tanned fur and bright eyes. Behind her sat another, fluffy and black, apprehensive optics searching his face.

That's when the pain began to surge through him, so thick and acute that it felt as though it replaced the blood that leaked from his skin. His vision wavered, became _too _sharp, settled in the middle. He could see the details in his sister's face as she grinned at him, fingers curling and uncurling in crazed anticipation.

"Oh, _Hige_," she breathed, unable to contain a short, musical giggle. A scowl ripped through his throat and redness glowed around his own closed fists. A peach-pit of fury formed in his heart, festering inside of him until finally, Namida took a step closer and reached for his yellow shirt. Crimson eyes slid over her stained fingernails and the fury broke open, flooding him until he felt like he would burst in a wave of anger.

He lunged at her, fangs bared.

While he ripped through the delicate flesh of her throat, ears filled with her gurgling, high-pitched scream, the Hige-half of his consciousness mused that it was just too bad he couldn't see the confused and horrified expression on her pretty face.

* * *

Yes. It happened. h0mg. 


End file.
